Davina McCall recalls 'shocking' moment from filming Channel 4's Sex, Myths and The Menopause
The presenter became "frightened" after speaking to other women about their experiences with menopause.
Davina McCall is about to get very open and honest in her new Channel 4 documentary Davina McCall: Sex, Myths and The Menopause.
The presenter, who started to experience perimenopause from the age of 44, will share her own journey, as well as talk to other women about their experiences.
Ahead of the launch on Wednesday 12th May, she revealed her most shocking moment from the one-off film, admitting she noticed a very common trend between most of the female contributors.
"The thing that shocked me most probably was all the wonderful women's stories and the stories that they told me," she told press including RadioTimes.com.
"These were stories by women literally on the brink of something really drastic. Women who have been sort of fobbed off as overdramatic or [told to] just go and pull your socks up. Women who are suicidal. And sadly, that's quite common, sort of end symptoms that women get, and they get put on antidepressants, but the anti antidepressants don't work and that's because on a hormone related low, antidepressants won't work, because you need hormones, not antidepressants. And so then you think you're going mad. And it was this disservice, and that women were suffering."
Davina said she felt "powerless" after speaking to other women.
"That made me the most frightened and how can we reach more women to stop them feeling like that, and I felt very powerless. I thought my voice isn't loud enough. I really feel like a storm is brewing, and we're really gathering pace now where we can affect real change and make people really put on a different pair of glasses, and look at menopause in a completely different way," she said.
During the documentary, Davina hopes to change the perception of HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) and dispel any myths surrounding the menopause.
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She continued: "And indeed look at HRT in a completely different way, and stop demonising it! The other thing that really shocked me in the documentary was the notes inside and vaginal oestrogen for example which just changes women's lives in the most spectacular way from vaginal atrophy, which is can be extremely painful and make you feel so self conscious.
"There's zero risk with vaginal oestrogen - zero, but if you were to read the leaflet inside it's like blood clots, heart disease, breast cancer, increased risk of cancer, you wouldn't take it! I know steps are trying trying to be made in the right direction but to me it just none of it feels quick enough or enough."
Davina McCall: Sex, Myths and The Menopause will air on Wednesday 12th May at 9pm on Channel 4. To find out what’s on telly tonight, check out our TV Guide or visit our dedicated Documentaries hub for more news.
